Lasting-machine.



A. B. FOWLER.

LASTING MACHINE.

APPucATmNmED MAY 19. 1915.

1,288,553. Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

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A. B. FOWLER.

LASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY19.1915.

Patented 1360.24, 1918.

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ALFRED B. FOWLER, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

LASTING-MACHINE.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

To all wlw/m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALrRno B. FowLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverlyg in the county of Essex and State' of Massachusetts, have invented certain I-mprovements in Lasting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures. l A

This invention relates to machines for lasting and securing together the upper and soles of boots and shoes and is herein shown and described as embodied in a machine for lasting and sewing stitch-down shoes. This invention is an improvement upon the' mat-,hinge for this purpose shown and described in British patent specification No. i1058/1912'. The machine of the British patent is well adapted in most respects for the purpose of lasting and sewing stitch-down slices. The gripper mechanism therein employed, however, requires for its most satisfactory operation a longer portion of the cycle of the machine than is available for it when the proper time is allowed for the operation of the sewing instrumentalities. The general object of this invention is to provide a gripper mechanism better' adapted to the conditions existing in a lasting and sewing machine.

An important feature of the vinvention consists in the combination with upper fastening mechanism of vmeans Yfor applying a 4strain or tension to the margin `of an upper,

the construction shown, a. work rest or support and a presser foot are provided by relative movement of which theoutwardly .eX-

tending margins of the upper and of thefsole' of a stitch-down shoe are clamped together, and a. gripper is provided which seizes the margin of the upper extending beyond the worh resi' and applies through suitable yielding mechanism a strong' pull to the said extending margin. The pull, however, does not at iii-st affect the portion of the upper eX- tending about the last because a-n intermediate portion of the upper is clamped tojthe sole by the work rest and the presser foot. At the proper time in the cycler` of the machine, the presser -foot is momentarily released, and the gripper is then operated the reaction of the' yielding element in the pulling mechanism to effect a strong tensioning pull upon the upper to draw it about the last. 'The `upper and sole margin are then again clamped by the' work rest and presser foot andare penetra-ted by the awl. The upper being now held from retraction 'by the awl, the gripper is released and the pressure' of the presser foot relaxed to permit feed movement of thel work by the' awl. Sincev the lgripper has released the upper, it is unnecessary for it to participate in the feed movement of the awl.

Another feature of the invention consists in a movable gripper comprising relatively movable jaws, a device for resisting movement of the gripper, and operating mechanism connected to the gripper j awsl and act-` ing first to close the jaws and then acting in opposition to the resisting device to move the gripper. gripper is pivoted for movement about a center located below the gripping faces of its jaws and a. friction device ris located on the axis about which the gripper swings. gripper jaws are, as shown, connected by a toggle mechanism through movement of which by the opera-ting mechanism the jaws are closed, the operating mechanism then acting to swing the gripper about its pivot. This construction,comprising the friction means', alsoV insures that the gripper 'jaws will lbe opened vbefore the gripper is again moved toward the shoe to seize another por.- tion ofthe upper'.

Another feature ofthe' invention consists in means for de'ectingfthe upwardly projecting margin of the upper outwardly into position to be seized by the gripper. The

In the construction shown, the f Thev ioo

detlector is preferably resilient-ly mountedVv so that it may be moved rearwardly by pressure of the upper as the upper is placed in j the machine and does not interfere with its introduction. and ,it is also resiliently depressed against the work, means being provided vfor manually raising the deiiector initially to permit it to come into engagement with the upper face of the outturned margin of the upper.

These and other features of the invention including certain combinations of parts and more important details of construction will appear in connection with the following description 'of the preferred form of the invention when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the mechanism for operating the awl;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the gripper mechlanism and adajacent portions of the malil chine; v. f a

Fig. 4 is a detail, partly in section, of a portion of the gripper operating mech- Fig. 5 is a detail view of the mechanism for operating the presser foot;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the stock def-lector and adjacent operating parts of the machine; and

Figs. 7 to 11 show diagrammatically successive steps in the operation of the gripper, the presser foot and the awl upon the work.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the

reference character 2 indicates the frame of f the machine head in which is journaled the .parts are derived.

.the commercial outsole stitcher shown, for

example, in United States Letters Patent No. 473,870, granted April`26, 1892 on application of French & Meyer.

The sewing mechanism comprises a curved awl y10 and a curvedhooked needle 11, Fig.

3. The awl, after it penetrates the work, is given a movement toward the operators left and laterally of the machine to feed the work which rests on a work support or table 12,'the'table having an elongated opening to permit such feed movement of the awl.

The .awl operating mechanism is shown in Fig. 2. "The Iawl carrier 15 is mounted fory rotation about-an axis 16 and has a toothed H .segment which meshes with a corresponding segment onr the lever 17 j which has a fulcrum at'18'aboutwhich it is operated by a path camon the cam lblock 19, as shown. The lateral fced movement of the awl carrier is effected, as usual, by movement of a slide 21, Fig. 1, which is connected to a lever 22 pivoted at 23 and has a rearwardly ex tending arm 24 carrying a cam roll which engages a cam on the main shaft. A presser foot 14 is provided which coperates with the work support to hold the work during the work penetrating movement of the awl and during the formation of a stitch by the needle and the other sewing mechanism.

The presser foot operating mechanism, as shown in Fig. V5, comprises a presser foot 14 which contacts with the marginal portion of the tread face of the sole and is forced into clamping engagement to hold the work against the work support 12 at the proper times in the cycle of the machine by means of a cam 20 on the main shaft 4. The presser foot 14 is mounted on a lever 25 pivoted at 26 having teeth 27 on its rear face which are engaged by a locking pawl 28 mounted on a stationary pivot. Another lever 29 is mounted on ,thel pivot 26 and is connected with the lever 25 through a spring 3l. The lever 29 has ratchet teeth on its rear end which are engaged by a pawl 33 carried by a lever 35 fulcruined at 37 and operated by a cam roll engaging the cam path 39 in the block 20. It will be observed that the cam path 39 has two portions P and F which act upon the lever 35 to depress its forward end and that the said lever carries a projection 41 which is adapted `to engage a corresponding projection on the pawl 28 when the lever 35 is depressed and disengage it from the teeth 27, thereby unlocking the presser foot and permitting the work to be fed or the upper to be tensioned between the presser foot and the work rest. At such times also the presser foot may be raised if desired by the handle 43. At other times in the cycle the presser .foot is held locked by the pawl 2S in whatever position it is forced by the pawl 33 acting upon the lever 29 and upon the presser foot 14 through the spring 31. The timing of the cam 29 will be fully explained hereinafter.

The gripper mechanism by which the upper is tensioned and worked into position for the operation of the sewing mechanism comprises a lower jaw carrier 30 pivoted at 32 to-a bracket 34 secured at'36, Fig. 3, to the front of the machine. The jaw carrier is forked at its-lower end to embrace a lug 38 on the bracket 34, through which fork and lug the pivot rod 32 extends. To the Eupper end of thecarrier 30 'is adjustably behind the work support 12 and with its gripping face substantially in the plane of the upper face of the work support. An upper Jaw carrying slide 50v is mounted for vertical movement in the upper end of the Carrier 30, and secured to the -slide 50 by a screw 52 is an upper jaw 54 which extends laterally to the left and forwardly into a position to bring its work engaging portion over that of the lower aw 42.

Mechanism is provided for closing the gripper jaws upon the work and swinging the gripper about the axis 32 to tension the upper outwardly of the shoe and substantially in the plane of the last bottom. The upper jaw vcarrier 50 is connected to fthe lower j aw carrier-30 by a toggle comprising links 56 and 58 pivoted together Vat 60 and to the upper ja'w carrier 50 at 62. The lower end of the toggle is pivoted on the axis 32. Stop projections at 64 are provided on the rear sides of the toggle members to prevent the toggle from kbeing bent outwardly beyond straightened position, and a. screw 66 is provided to limit the movement of the jaws toward the work and to provide means for varying the position of the jaws relatively to the work when the)` close. the toggle inwardly of the machine will cause the upper jaw to approach the lower jaw and also that the force applied to bend the toggle will, if the toggle cannot bend, swing the lower jaw carrier 30 about the axis Bending` force is applied to the toggle through a link 68 pivoted to a projection on the lower toggle link at 70 and having the other end resiliently connected to an operating lever 7 2, Fig. 1. The lever 72 is pivoted between its ends to the machine frame at 74 and carries at its upper end a cam roll 7 6 which engages a cam path T8 in a cam block on the main shaft of the machine. The lower end of the lever 172 is pivoted to a sleeve 80, Fig. 4, mounted to slide on a rounded stem of the link G8. The stem has a shoulder 82 between parts of different diameter', the sleeve being fitted to slide on the portion of larger diameter. A washer 84 is fitted to the portion of the stem having the smaller diameter and normally rests against the shoulder 82, being held in that position by a compression spring 86, which at its other end abut-s against a flange 88 on a sleeve 90 held on the stem by nuts 92. The shoulder 82 limits the movement of the washer 84 and permits the spring 86 to be placed under any desired degree of initial or normal tension by means of the nuts 92. another compression spring 94 is held between a shoulder at the outer end of the larger rounded portion of the stem and the sleeve 80. The springs 86 and 94 are therefore opposed to each other, but the spring 86 is stiffer than the spring 94 so that the washer 84 is held normally against the shoulder 82. The sleeve 90 prevents excessive movement of t-he washer' 84 and sleeve 80 by compression of the spring 86 which might otherwise carry the sleeve 80 ofi of lt will be 'apparent that `btmding of the larger portion of the stem on to the smaller portion and permit the sleeve to catch on the shoulder 82.

To insure that the toggle will be broken to cause the gripper to close upon the stock before the gripper is swung about the axis 32 to tension the upper outwardly, it is necessary to provide means to resist movement `of the member 30 about the axis 32. In `the construction shown a friction washer 100 of felt, liber-or other suitable material is provided on the rod 32 which engages the member 30 and against which it is pressed by a spring 102 the tension of which is 'controlled by a nut and washer at 104. A friction plate 106 is placed between the spring 102 and the washer 100 and is held from rotation by a stud 108 engaging the frame of 'the machine.

j The shoe is presented to the machine with thev bottom up and with the sole lsubstantially in a horizontal position, and the upper, which is loosely assembled on the last7 has a tendency to project upwardly around the edge of the sole in a position nearly at right angles thereto. It is consequently vdesirable to provide means for deflecting the .margin of the upper material outwardly of the shoe in a position parallel to the last bottom so that it may `be .readily seized `by the gripper. In the 'construction shown, this function is effected by a stock detlecting mechanism comprising a finger 110, Fig. 6, having an end bent inwardly of the machinewhich serves as a foot to engage the inner face of the upper and bend it into a position substantially in the yplane of the gripping faces of the gripper jaws. The deflector is held resiliently depressed against the work by .a spring :112 mountedl upon a pivot 114 `about which the deflector ismovable. The deiiector 110 is provided. with an extension 116 beyond its pivot which serves as a finger piece for lifting the deector when the work is inserted in the machine to insure that it will be positioned upon the upper face .of Ithe projecting margin of the upper. The pivot 114 of the dei-lector is on the lower end Vof a stem 120 which extends vertically through an ear 122 of themachine frame and permits movement of the deflector about a vertical axis. i4 torsion spring 128 one end of which is secured by a screw 130 andthe other end of which engages the stem 120,

Fig. 6, holds the deflector resiliently toward lil() of the upper extending between the work support 12 and the presser foot let which is normally unlocked when the machine is at rest and is manually raised for this operatiim by the handle 43. The deiiector 110 is positioned on the face of the upwardly extending upper by manipulation of the finger piece 116. The machine is now started. The presser foot is first actuated te firmly clamp a portion of the margin of the sole and the projecting margin of the upper against the sole rest l2 and the lever 72 is actuated to break the toggle 56, 5S. Owing to the friction produced by the -washer 100 and spring 102 resistance is offered to swinging movement of the carrier 30, and the first effect of breaking the toggle is to lower the j aw 511 into gripping relation to the j aw 42 to securely gripv the stock, Fig. 7. Further action of the lever 72 through the collar 80 tends through compression of the spring 86 to swing the carrier 30, but this movement is prevented by resistance of the stock which is still lirmly 'clamped by the presser foot against the work support. Vfhen the spring 86 has been fully compressed the pressure of the pressed foot is momentarily relieved by the action ofthe part P of the cam path 39 on the cam roll carried by the lever 35 and the spring 86 reacts to swing the carrier 30 and the gripper to tension a part of the stock, Fig. 8, which is in advance of the part just fastened. After the stock tensioning operation the presser foot 14 again clamps the sole and upper against the work support, Fig. 9, for the passage of the awl l() through the tensioned upper and the margin of the sole, Fig. 10. After the passage of J(he awl through the work the gripper is opened and the presser foot is released b the part F of the cam path 39, the stoc being prevented from drawing back by the awl 10. rlhe awl then moves laterally to feed the work while the gripper first opens and then moves forwardly to engage a new portion 'of the stock presented to it by the work feeding movement of the awl, Fig. 11. The presser foot again clamps the work durving. the stitch forming operation of the sewing mechanism, the gripper again closes upon the new portion of stock, Fig. 7 the spring 86 is compressed and acts again to tension the new portion of stock as soon as t-he pressure of the presser foot is relieved.

. This cycle ofy operations is repeated along the periphery of the shoe bottom.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l'. In a machine of the class described, the combination 0f upper fastening mechanism, means for applying a tensioning strain to a portion of the margin of yan upper, means organized to hold a portion of the upper which is adjacent t0` the last from respond- .ing to the tensioning pull upon the margin,

and means for momentarily releasing the holding means and thereafter causing it again to hold the upper whereby the tensioning of the upper is effected in a relatively short portion of the machines cycle and without interference with the fastening mechanism. Y

2. In a lasting machine for stitch-down shoes, the combination of a rest to receive the ou'tturned margin of the upper, a presser foot, means for operating the presser foot to clamp the work against the rest, a gripper, means including a spring for operating the gripper to seize the upper and place the spring under tension while the upper is held clamped against the rest, means for releasing the presser foot to permit tensioning of the upper by `the reaction of the spring, and

means for fastening the upper.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for sewing the upper and sole together, of means for holding the margin of the upper and the outsole clamped together during the sewing operation, a gripper, resilinet means through which the gripper is operated, means for placing lthe resilient means under tension during the sewing operation, means for releasing the clamping means to permit the gripper to act to tension the upper, means for again operating the clamping means to hold the margin of the upper and the sole together for the penetrating movement of the awl, and means for releasing the gripper during the feed movement vof the awl.

4. In a stitch-down lasting machine, the combination of fastening inserting mechanism, work clamping means, work tensioning means including a resilient element, and means for eecting the clamping of the work While a fastening is inserted in one portion of the clamped work and while energy is stored in the resilient means and then releasing the clamping means to permit an adjacent portion Of theupper to be tensioned about the last by the reaction of the resilient element of the tensioning means.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of work clamping means, work feeding means, fastening inserting means, work tensioning means including means for storing energy while the work is clamped and while a fastening is being inserted in one part of the portion of the work which is clamped, and means for then releasing the work to permit application of the stored energy to the other part of the previously clamped portion to tension it.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination 0f sewing means, an awl for penetrating and feeding the work, a gripper for seizing and tensioning the work, and a. resilient element in which energy is stored during one portion of thev cycle of the machine and is released during a later portion of the cycle for rendering the` tensioning means effective in the interval between the completion of-the formation of a stitch by the sewing means and the feeding movement of the work by the awl for the next stitch.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of sewing means, aw-l feeding means, a work support, a presser foot, means for operating the presser' foot to hold the work clamped upon the support during the stitch forming operation, a gripper, gripper operating mechanism including resilient means for applying a tensioning strain to the margin of the upper Outside the portion held by the presser foot and in advance of the portion being sewed, lmeans to release the presser foot to permit the ztensioning strain to act on the portion of upper beyond the presser foot to tension the upperabout the last before the work is fed, means for 'operating the awl to penetrate the work before the gripper releases it, means for releasing the gripper, and means for raising the presser foot to permit feed movement of the work by the awl.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of work supporting means, a `gripper comprising upper and lower jaws having gripping faces arranged in a horizontal plane and mounted for swinging movement about a center a substantial distance from the plane of the shoe bottom at the side of the bottom on which the upper is disposed, a toggle for closing the gripper jaws, and means for operating the toggle -lirst to close the gripper jaws and then to swing the gripper upon itsmounting outwardly of the shoe to tension the upper.

9. In a machine for lasting stitch-down shoes, the combination of a work rest to receive the outturned flange of an upper, a movable gripper having gripper jaws arranged to grip the margin of the flange in the plane of the upper face of the work rest,

a toggle pivoted at its ends to the respec-l tive jaws, and operating connections acting on the toggle between its ends to break the toggle to close the jaws and then acting to move the aws substantially in the plane of the projecting margin of the shoe to apply tension to the upper.

10. In a machine for lasting stitch-down shoes, the combination of a work rest to receive the outturned flange of an upper, a gripper having gripper jaws arranged to grip the margin of the Harige in the plane offthe upper face of the work rest, and mechanism including a single resilient means acting first to close the jaws resiliently upon the upper and then to apply a resilient pull upon the upper outwardly of the shoe.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a movable gripper comprising relatively movable jaws, a friction device-resisting movement of the gripper, and operating mechanism connected to one jaw of the gripper acting to close the'jaws and then acting in opposition to the friction device to move-the gripper to tension the upper. the friction device insuring that the gripper is open prior to its return movement.

l2. In a machine of the class described, tl e combination of a gripper pivoted for movement as a whole about a center, said gripper comprising a movable jaw and a relatively `fixed jaw, and operating connections to the movable jaw acting first to close the j aws-and then to move the gripper about its pivot, the said connections acting to open the jaws before the return movement of the gripper about its pivot.

13. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a gripper pivoted for n'iovement about an aXis and comprising relatively movable aws, and operating connectionsfor closing and opening the jaws and moving the gripper about its aXis, the gripper being constructed and arranged to offer resistance to movement about its aXis in either direction which is greater than the resistance to opening or closing of the jaws so that the operating connections will close the jaws before they move the gripper about its axis in one direction to tension the upper and will open the jaws to release the upper before they move the gripper about its aXis in the other direction to normal position.

l-l. In a machine of the class described, the combination of upper gripping means comprising relatively movable jaws, and operating connections lfor causing the jaws to close upon the work and then for moving thejaws to tension the work, said connections including a friction element for insuring that the closing movement shall pre- Lthe tensioning movement and also insuring that the opening movement of the jaws shall precede the return movement of the aws after their tensioning movement.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of upper seizing and tensioning means comprising relatively movable jaws forming a gripper which is movable to tension the upper, operating connections for causing the jaws to close and which thereafter move the grippers to tension the upper, and friction means opposing movement of the gripper in either direction and insuring that the jaws shall open prior to the return movement of the gripper after the tensioning movement.

16. In a machine of the class described,` a gripper, a toggle connecting the upper jaw and the lower jaw, the lower joint of the toggle forming a pivot about which the gripper is moved to tension the upper, and fricjaw carrier mounted to swing about a pivot force is applied to move the gripper about the lower pivot of the toggle toward the work.

below the work engaging face of the rest, an upper jaw, an upper jaw carrier mount ed for movement in the lower jaw carrier, Y

a toggle connecting the upper jaw carrier to the lower jaw carrier, and means for.

breaking the toggle to close ythe jaws and swing the carrier.

18. In a machine of the class described, a gripper comprising a lower jaw pivoted for swinging movement toward and Jfrom the work, an upper jaw having a dependinv stem mounted to slide in the lower jaw, an means acting iirst to move the upper jaw relatively to the lower jaw to seize the work, and thereafter acting to swing both jaws to tension the work.

19. In a machine of the class described, a movable gripper, a toggle for closing the gripper jaws, operating means for the toggle actingbetween its end joints for breaking the toggle to close the jaws, and a stop preventing movement of the toggle beyond a straightened position and through which 20. In a machine of the class described,

the combination of a gripper, operating.

means for moving the gripper toward and from the work, and a connection between the gripper and the operating means which is resilient in both of said directions of movement.

21. Ina machine of the class described,

Vthe combination of a gripper, and operating means for moving the gripper toward tensioning an upper, and operatingv means for the gripper 'which operates the gripper through a stronglspringtol tension the Vupper and moves t e gripper toward the upper through a weak spring.

23. In a machine for lasting and sewing stitch-.down shoes, the combination of a gripper constructed to seize and tensionoutwai'dly the outturned margin of the upper, and a de'lector constructed and arranged to engage ythe inner face of the upper and delect outwardly and downwardly the'said margin into substantially the plane of the gripper jaws in position to be seized by the gripper. Y

24. In a machine for lasting and sewing stitch-down shoes, the combination oi" a gripper acting substantially in the plane of the last bottom to seize and tension the upper outwardly of the shoe, a finger for engaging the stock and delecting it outwardly of the slice into position to be seized by the grippersLand resilient means for pressing the :linger downwardly against the stock.

25.A In a machine for lasting and sewing stitch-down shoes, the combination of a gripper acting substantially in the' plane of the Vlast bottom to seize and tension the upper outwardly of the shoe, a finger for engaging the stock and deiiecting it outwardly ofthe shoe into position to be seized by' the grippers, and resilient means for holding the finger toward the shoe and permittingV K it to 'be moved by the pressurev of the upperV prior to its being raised above the upper into stock deflecting position.

In testimony whereof I have signed Vmy name to this specification.

ALFRED B. rowigniij Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents cach, by addressing the Commissioner Voit Patents, Washington, D. C. 

